Drill Rod Support, And Drill Rod Support Half
Drill rod support half (20) comprising a surface (21) for direct contact with the drill string (30), and the half being provided with a recess (23) capable of forming a drill string opening (22) with an opposing drill rod support half (20). The invention is characterized in that the recess (23) is generally V-shaped, for enabling guiding of drill strings (30) of different shape and dimension.
The present invention relates to a drill rod support for guiding a drill string of a drill rig, especially a rock drill rig, in accordance with the independent claim. The present invention also relates to a drill rod support half for use in such drill rod support.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Generally, a rock drill rig (
When drilling relatively deep holes, it is important that the drill hole does not deviate from the intended direction, since a deviation may have a negative effect on the final result depending on what the hole is to be used for. One or several drill rod supports are used to guide the drill string, thereby preventing the drill string from deviating.
A drill rod support should not be confused with a clamping device. Drill rod supports are used for guiding the drill string during drilling, on conditions of low friction between drill string and rod support. Whereas clamping devices, such as DE 19909860 and JP 2003 074286, are used for loosening or tightening of the rods when they are removed from the drilled hole, and hence designed to clamp tight around the rods (high friction).
Generally, a drill rod support comprises a pair of support halves. The halves can be moved to and from each other to be opened and closed respectively around the drill string. When the support halves are in their closed position, they are in contact with the drill string via the surface of the recesses, thus guiding (centring) the drill string, but not clamping the drill string.
The recesses of known drill rod support halves form an opening adapted to fit the drill string, by shape and dimension. A common form of recess of the support halves is essentially semi-circular creating a principally circular opening, adapted to fit drill strings with a circular cross section (shown in
There are also drill rod support halves which are especially adapted for drill strings with polygonal cross sections (e.g. JP 2003 053724). These halves can thus only be used for a specific rod form and dimension.
A major drawback of known drill rod support halves is that they are adjusted to fit a specific drill string of a specific dimension and shape. One problem with support halves being adapted to fit a certain drill string is, that the drill rod support is subjected to heavy vibration, the drill string and stone dust etc. causing wear of the drill rod support and especially of the drill rod support halves. The fit is satisfactory when the halves are new, but as the support halves are worn, especially by the rotating drill string, the fit between the support halves and the drill string is impaired (shown in
Another problem in using drill rod support halves adapted to fit a certain drill string is that it results in time consuming exchange of support halves for different strings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONThe main object of the present invention is to obtain a drill rod support half that can be used for a longer period of time and for different rods, i.e. a support half that not needs to be exchanged as often due to wear or use of different rods. This is solved by the features set forth in the characterizing portion of the independent claim. Preferred embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.
According to a main aspect, the present invention relates to a drill rod support half comprising a surface for direct contact with the drill string, and the half being provided with a recess capable of forming a drill string opening with an opposing drill rod support half. The invention is characterized in that the recess is generally V-shaped, for enabling guiding of drill strings of different shape and dimension.
With a support half according to the invention, arranged with a generally V-shaped recess, the same set of halves can be used for drill strings of different sizes by adjusting the distance between the halves, while keeping the structure of the half simple from a manufacturing viewpoint. Furthermore, whereupon the halves are worn by the drill string, the halves can also be brought together, with continuous guiding of the drill string.
These and other aspects of and advantages with the present invention, will be apparent from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGSIn the detailed description of the present invention reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein
The feed beam 4 has a drill end 41 from which the drill point protrudes at drilling. Generally, drill rigs are arranged with at least one drill rod support 10 near the drill end 41 of the feed beam 4 for guiding the drill string 30. The drill rig in
A drill rod support half 20 according to the invention comprises a surface 21 for direct contact with the drill string 30. The half 20 is provided with a recess 23 capable of forming a drill string opening 22 with an opposing drill rod support half 20. The drill rod support half 20 may be unitary.
The recess 23 is generally V-shaped, for enabling guiding of drill strings 30 of different shape and dimension. A drill rod support half 20 according to the invention having a V-shaped recess 23, may thus create a drill string opening 22 with an essentially rhombic shape, together with an opposing half 20 when the halves are moved together.
The sides of the generally V-shaped recess 23, may be rounded i.e. generally convex or concave (
The larger angle, the less number of halves needs to be used for the range of rods. Still, there is a turning point, where a too large angle no longer gives a satisfactory guiding, depending on the dimension of the rods. Preferably, the angle β between the sides of the V-shaped recess 23 is in the range between 70° and 120°, and more preferably between 80° and 110°. Still more preferably, the angle β is in the range between 90° and 100°, and most preferably essentially 90°.
Using a pair of halves 20 with an angle β being about 100°, a range of rods with exterior diameters ranging from 51 to 178 mm, can be handled with only three different sets of halves. In comparison, earlier, the same range of exterior diameters demanded about 15 sets of halves; and for halves adapted to fit certain rods one set of halves for each dimension was used.
When the drilling is about to start, the drill string 30 is brought down through the drill rod support 10 towards the surface to be drilled, the drill rod support halves 20 are brought into contact with the drill string 30 (closed position), for guiding the drill string 30 during the drilling operation.
The distance between the support halves 20 arranged in the drill rod support 10 is adjustable for enabling guiding of different drill strings 30 (different form and/or size).
If the support halves are worn and a play arises between the drill string and the surface, e.g. due to strong forces, vibration and drill cuttings, the support halves 20 may be brought further together to keep contact with the drill string 30 and continue guiding the same.
If the dimension of the drill string 30 is decreased, or the respective surface 21 of the support halves 20 is worn, the support halves 20 may also be brought together to keep the fit with the drill string 30, and consequently brought apart to fit a drill string 30 with a larger dimension.
Generally, the opposing halves 20 are arranged in the same plane in the drill rod support 10. Alternatively, and as shown in
The support half, and especially its surface for contact with the drill string, is preferably manufactured out of a material with considerable wear resistance and low friction against the drill string, such as plate, casting or any other suitable material.
It also possible to provide the half with inserts (i.e. welded into the half body or attached in any other suitable way) of any suitable wear resisting material such as steel, ceramics, polymers and the like, still maintaining the generally V-shaped form of the recess. The inserts may be replaceable.
The embodiments shown in the drawings and put forward in the description should not be considered restricting, only as exemplifying.
Claims
1. Drill rod support (10) comprising means capable of moving two opposing drill rod support halves (20), each half (20) comprising a surface (21) for direct contact with the drill string (30), and the half being provided with a recess (23) capable of forming a drill string opening (22) with an opposing drill rod support half (20), the recess (23) being generally V-shaped, for enabling guiding of drill strings (30) of different shape and dimension,
- characterized in that the drill rod support halves (20) are movable to and from each other, for enabling contact with the drill string (30).
2. Drill rod support (10) according to claim 1,
- characterized in that the drill rod support halves (20) are arranged in different parallel planes.
3. Drill rod support (10) according to claim 1,
- characterized in that the drill rod support halves(20)are arranged in the same parallel plane.
4. Drill rod support half (20) for use in a drill rod support (10) according to claim 1, comprising a surface (21) for direct contact with the drill string (30), and the half (20) being provided with a recess (23) capable of forming a drill string opening (22) with an opposing drill rod support half (20), the recess (23) being generally V-shaped, for enabling guiding of drill strings (30) of different shape and dimension,
- characterized in that the angle (β) between the sides of the V-shaped recess (23) is in the range between 70° and 120°.
5. Drill rod support half (20) according to claim 4,
- characterized in that the drill rod support half (20) is capable of creating a drill string opening (22) with a generally rhombic shape.
6. Drill rod support half (20) according to claims 4 or 5,
- characterized in that the angle (β) between the sides of the V-shaped recess (23) is essentially 100°.
7. Drill rod support half (20) according to any of the any of the claims 4-6,
- characterized in that the sides of the generally V-shaped recess (23) are convex.
8. Drill rod support half (20) according to any of the claims 4-6,
- characterized in that the sides of the generally V-shaped recess (23) are concave.
9. Drill rod support half (20) according to any of the claims 4-8,
- characterized in that the drill rod support half (20) is unitary.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 28, 2006
Publication Date: Apr 24, 2008
Patent Grant number: 7814994
Inventor: Hakan Franzen (Hallsberg)
Application Number: 11/795,880
International Classification: E21B 19/24 (20060101);